Rail anchors



Sept. 3, 1963 s. M. FEE 3,102,690

RAIL ANCHORS Filed June 29, 1959 INV EN TOR.

GRAHAM M. F E figdclwygg 5 ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,102,690 Patented Sept. 3, 1963 3,102,690 RAIL ANCHORS Graham M. Fee, Erie, Pa., assignor to True Temper Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed June 29, 1959, Ser. No. 823,637 4 Claims. (Cl. 238-427) This invention relates to rail anchors, devices commonly used to prevent the longitudinal creep of railroad rails, and more particularly to the one-piece type rail anchor.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved rail anchor which will have the maximum bearing surface against the adjacent tie.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved rail anchor which provides increased strength combined with a minimum of weight.

Still another object of this invention is to provide such an anchor which has increased holding power over other anchors of this type.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved cross sectional formation of the anchor which reduces the stresses therein while increasing the holding power.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an anchor having the above characteristics which includes improved and more positive gripping along the edges of a rail base.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide such an anchor which aifords increased ease of application to the rail.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an anchor having the above characteristics which includes means for preventing overdriving of the anchor.

Generally, it is an object of this invention to provide an anchor as set forth above which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and highly durable in use.

Other objects of this invention and the details of the invention itself will become readily apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings, in which said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the rail anchor shown generally from the side thereof;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the anchor of FIG. 1 showing the same as applied to the base of a rail;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section of the anchor alone.

Referring now to the drawings, in all of which like parts are designated by like reference characters, at 1 there is shown the rail anchor which is adapted to engage the base 2 of a rail R, said base having laterally projecting flanges 12 and13. The anchor 1 is preferably manufactored from flat, metal bar stock which is formed as a U-shaped channel. One end of the anchor 1 is bent to provide a book 3. The anchor is so formed that the bottom or base 4 of the channel is directed inwardly of the hook 3 with the fiat, parallel wall portions 5 of the channel being directed outwardly therefrom. The main body of the anchor extends beyond the end of the hook 3 to provide an elongated, lower jaw portion 6, the upper end of the hook providing a relatively shorter jaw 7.

The longitudinal dimension of the lower jaw 6 is substantially in excess of the Width of the rail base 2 as best seen in FIG. 2. Said lower jaw is provided at the end thereof opposite the hook 3 with a flat, supporting surface 8 which is spaced inwardly a short distance from the extreme end 6:: of said lower jaw and is stepped downwardly a short distance to provide a sharp vertical face as indicated at 9 adjacent said surface. The opposite end of the lower jaw 6 which is adjacent the book 3 is provided with a similar, flat supporting surface as best seen at 10 in FIG. 1. Intermediate the flat supporting surfaces 8 and 10, the lower jaw 6 is provided with a downwardly bowed throat portion 11. The lowermost surface 2a of the rail base 2 abuts the supporting surfaces 8 and 10 adjacent the lateral flanges 12 and 13, the central pontion of said lower surface bridging across the downwardly bowed throat 11. It will be noted that when the anchor 1 is securely engaged with the rail base 2, the lateral edge of the flange 12 of said base abuts the vertical face 9 adjacent the free end of the lower jaw 6 opposite the hook 3.

The hook 3 curves upwardly around the lateral flange 13 of the rail base 2 and is laterally spaced therefrom. The curve of said hook blends in to the upper jaw 7 which is angled slightly downwardly in the direction of the upwardly directed surface 2b of the rail base 2. Said upper surface 2b angles upwardly toward the center of the rail from the lateral edge of the flange l3, and the free end 70 of the upper jaw which is directed away from the hook 3 is provided with a downwardly directed, fiat gripping surface 14 so angled as to rest in flatwise engagement with said upper surface 2b.

By referring to FIG. 5, it will be noted that the flat supporting surfaces 8 and 10 of the lower jaw 6 converge slightly downwardly relative to a straight line as indicated at x-x which connects the high-est points on said flat surfaces. Beyond the support surface 10 in the direction of the hook 3, the web 4 drops slightly below the line x-x and intersects an inwardly directed protuberance 15 of said Web. The protuberance '15 afiords an upwardly projecting, slightly oblique abutment surface 15a which projects upwardly sufliciently to be in the plane of a portion of the lateral flange 13 for a purpose to be herein later fully described.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the sectional form of the anchor is preferably such that the web 4 is substantially flat and sharply intersects with the Wall portions 5 at either edge of said web. However, as shown in FIG. 3, the bowed throat 11 is curved upwardly at the web portion thereof as indicated at 4a. The wall portions 5 are substantially fiat in the area of the throat 11 as in all other areas of the anchor, the upper portions of said walls blending into the curved web 4a. The throat portion 11 is, in cross section, substantially similar throughout its length to the form shown in FIG. 3 having short areas adjacent the ends thereof as indicated at 11a and 116 which generally blend into the more angular cross section of the anchor adjacent to the support surfaces 8 and 10' respectively. The downward bowing of the throat portion 11 provides for increased surface of contact against an adjacent tie, and the lateral arching of said throat greatly increases the strength of this area and relieves the stresses within the metal.

The opening between the jaws 6 and 7 is slightly less when the anchor 1 is in an unstressed condition before being applied to the base 2 of the rail R. Said rail base, by means of the angled upper surface 2b, serves as a wedge which is forced in between the jaws of the anchor and spreads them slightly as the lower jaw 6 moves across and under the base whereby the vertical face 9 can engage the lateral edge 12. This causes the hook 3 to unwind slightly and the entire anchor is tensioned whereby the supporting surfaces 8 and 16 tend to become less convergent and to attain a cop-planar relationship. The upper surface 215 of the rail base is, in effect, pressing upwardly against the upper jaw 7 with considerable force which causes the lower jaw 6 to be pressed firmly upwardly against the lower surface 2a of said base. As the upper jaw 7 is pressed upwardly at the gripping surface 14 by the rail base, the lower jaw 6 tends to pivot about a point of contact on the support surface adjacent the lateral flange 13 of the base whereby the free end 6a of said lower jaw is forced sharply upwardly adjacent the lateral edge of the flange 12. Since the highest point of the support surface 8 is adjacent its intersection with the vertical face 9, it is at this point that the greatest pressure will be exerted between the free end of the lower jaw and the rail base. The metal between the support surfaces 8 and 10 will be stressed along with that of the hook 3 whereby when said anchor is fully seated upon the rail base, said flat supporting surfaces are more nearly co-planar. This provides for extremely tight engagement of the anchor adjacent the lateral edge of the flange 12 of the rail base as well as between the three relatively large, flat friction engaging surfaces represented by the supports 8 and 10- and the gripping surface 14.

Referring again to FIG. 2, it will be noted that the anchor 1 of this invention is driven or sprung into engagement with the lower base of the rail in a conventional manner. The dotted line showing of the anchor indicates its initial position just prior to being driven into final engagement with the base. it will be noted that the vertical surface 9 adjacent the free end 6a of the lower jaw is spaced backwardly from the lateral edge of the flange 12 and is disposed beneath the lower surface 2a of the base 2. A sharp blow or pressure on the book 3 of the anchor in the general area indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2 forces the anchor to the left as seen in that view until such point as the vertical face 9 snaps upwardly to engage the lateral edge of the flange 12 of the base.

In applying rail anchors of this type there is always some danger of using too much pressure or striking it with too hard a blow whereby it is over-driven. An overdriven anchor results when the rail anchor is driven so far upon the flange of the rail that it causes the jaws to be sprung outwardly beyond the limit of their natural elasticity to cause them to attain a permanent set in this position. The free end of the anchor is driven beyond the point where the vertical face 9 engages the lateral edge of the rail base, and because the jaws are permanently sprung openly, no gripping is afforded to the base.

Over driving is prevented in the present embodiment by the protuberance which is so positioned that in case too much pressure is applied to the anchor, the lateral edge 13 will abut the abutment surface 150 of said protuberance before the book 3 has been stressed beyond its elastic limit and the gripping of the anchor will not be impaired. Ilf the anchor is driven to the point whereby the flange 13 abuts the protuberance 15, the vertical surface 9 at the free end of the lower jaw 6 will be momentarily forced beyond the opposite lateral flange 12. However, due to the angularity of the upper surface 2b of the rail base 2 and the pressure of the jaws upon said base, 3, lateral thrust is created which causes the anchor to immediately nrove to the right, as shown in FIG. 2, to bring the vertical surface 9 into sharp and solid abutment with the lateral edge 12 of the base 2.

The above described anchor is preferably manufactured in a minimum of steps in the following manner. A flat metallic bar sufiicient for the manufacture of one anchor is bent to form a U-shaped channel having three longitudinally interspaoed, flat, rail bearing pads pressed into the web portion, said pads being the flat bearing surfaces 8 and 10, and the flat gripping surface 14 of the upper jaw. The channel shaped bar is bent in the form of a hairpin which approaches the final form of the anchor, and the anchor is pressed into its final shape over a mandrel adapted to give it the proper jaw opening, the over-drive stop or protuberance 15, and the offset or vertical face 9. The anchor is then heat treated to provide the proper hardness and resilience necessary for its function.

It will be understood that many departures from the details of this invention as herein described and illustrated may be made without, however, departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A one-piece rail anchor of substantially uniform wall thickness for gripping the base of a rail, said base having laterally projecting flanges, said anchor being U- shaped in section having vertically disposed, substantially parallel flat wall portions and a connecting web, said anchor having a main body portion and a C-shaped bend at one end for gripping one of said flanges of a rail with said body portion adapted to be disposed transversely beneath and in contact with said base of a rail and to extend beyond the said opposite flange of a rail, said body portion being longitudinally downwardly bowed in the central portion thereof with portions adjacent either and adapted to contact the base of a rail, said web being upwardly convexly rounded at said central portion, said body portion having hook means adapted to be positioned adjacent said opposite flange of a rail and adapted to snap over said opposite flange.

2. A one-piece rail anchor of substantially uniform wall thickness for gripping the base of a rail, said base having laterally projecting flanges, said anchor being U- shaped in section having vertically disposed, substantially parallel flat Wall portions and a connecting web, said anchor having a main body portion and a C-shaped bend at one end for gripping one of said flanges of a rail with said body portion adapted to be disposed transversely beneath and in contact with said base of a rail and to extend beyond the said opposite flange of a rail, said body portion being longitudinally downwardly bowed in the central portion thereof with portions adjacent either end adapted to contact the base of a rail, said web being upwardly convexly rounded at said central portion, the ends of said central portion having areas of transition where the convexity of said central portion merges into said flat bearing portions.

3. A one-piece rail anchor of substantially uniform wall thickness for gripping the base of a rail, said base having laterally projecting flanges, said anchor comprising an extended lower jaw having a hook at one end and a relatively shorter upper jaw extending from said book in the general direction of said lower jaw and in convergent relation thereto, said anchor being U-shaped in cross section comprising flat, parallel wall portions integrally joined by a flat web portion, said lower jaw having upwardly facing bearing surfaces adjacent the ends thereof and being longitudinally downwardly bowed between said bearing surfaces, said bearing surfaces being slightly downwardly inclined toward the longitudinal center of said lower jaw, the end of said upper jaw opposite said hook having a generally downwardly facing gripping surface, the end of said lower jaw opposite said hook having a portion of said web upwardly struck to form a lateral face directed toward the hook end of said anchor, said anchor adapted to engage said base of a rail with one of said flanges wedgingly driven between said jaws and positioned on one of said bearing surfaces with said gripping surface compressively engaging said flange of a rail from the top, the opposite of said flanges engaging the opposite of said bearing surfaces with said lateral face engaging the lateral edge of said opposite flange of a rail, said upper jaw urged openly by said first flange thereby tending to straighten said anchor whereby said bearing surfaces are urged in the direction of alignment.

4. A one-piece rail anchor of substantially uniform wall thickness for gripping the base of a rail, said base having laterally projecting flanges, said anchor being generally U-slraped in section, having vertically disposed, substantially parallel flat wall portions of uniform thickness and a connecting web, said anchor having a C-shaped bend at one end adapted to grip one of said flanges of a rail, said anchor extending transversely beneath said base of a rail and projecting beyond said opposite flange of a rail and having hook means adjacent said opposite flange of a rail adapted to snap over said opposite flange of a rail, said anchor bearing against the bottom of said base of a rail at points adjacent the ends of said laterally projecting flanges, said anchor being of varying cross secti onal shape between the bearing areas, the web being substantialty flattened at the hearing areas and a centrally disposed portion of the anchor spaced from the rail base having its web portion substantially curved transversely of the anchor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent Nov 3 102 690 September 3 196;}

Graham M. Fee

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent reqliring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 67 for "cop planar" read co-planar column 4 line 16, for "and" read end Signed and sealed this 31st day of March 1964.

(SEAL) An st: EDWARD J, BRENNER ERNEST w. swmm Attesling Officer Commissioner of Patents. 

1. A ONE-PIECE RAIL ANCHOR OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM WALL THICKNESS FOR GRIPPING THE BASE OF A RAIL, SAID BASE HAVING LATERALLY PROJECTING FLANGES, SAID ANCHOR BEING USHAPED IN SECTION HAVING VERTICALLY DISPOSED, SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL FLAT WALL PORTIONS AND A CONNECTING WEB, SAID ANCHOR HAVING A MAIN BODY PORTION AND A C-SHAPED BEND AT ONE END FOR GRIPPING ONE OF SAID FLANGES OF A RAIL WITH SAID BODY PORTION ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY BENEATH AND IN CONTACT WITH SAID BASE OF A RAIL AND TO EXTEND BEYOND THE SAID OPPOSITE FLANGE OF A RAIL, SAID BODY PORTION BEING LONGITUDINALLY DOWNWARDLY BOWED IN THE CENTRAL PORTION THEREOF WITH PORTIONS ADJACENT EITHER AND ADAPTED TO CONTACT THE BASE OF A RAIL, SAID WEB BEING UPWARDLY CONVEXLY ROUNDED AT SAID CENTRAL PORTION, SAID BODY PORTION HAVING HOOK MEANS ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED ADJACENT SAID OPPOSITE FLANGE OF A RAIL AND ADAPTED TO SNAP OVER SAID OPPOSITE FLANGE. 